Using column names with DataTables with AJAX data source

Question

I'm trying to upgrade my system to use 1.10 instead of 1.9 of DataTables and I'm trying to find a way to pass back the row contents using a JSON object instead of a list. Specifically instead of passing back data in the format [['data','data','data'],['data','data','data'],etc..] I want to put it in the format [['colA':'data','colB':'data','colC':'data']].

Right now I've got my AJAX function returning the data in that format and I'm trying to initialize with this code:

$("table").DataTable({
    "columnDefs": [
        {"name": "wo_status", "title": "wo_status", "targets": 0},
        //repeat for each of my 20 or so fields
    ],
    "serverSide": true,
    "ajax": "url/to/ajax/function"
});

The results are coming back from my AJAX function correctly but DataTables is trying to find an index of 0 in row 0 and failing to find it because my table cells are indexed by their column name instead of a numerical index. Does anyone know how to tell DataTables to use the column names specified in columnDefs (or in some other option I haven't found) instead of numerical indices?

Solution 1

Use columns.data option to specify property names as shown below:

$("table").DataTable({
    "columns": [
        { "data": "colA", "name": "colA", "title": "colA" },
        { "data": "colB", "name": "colB", "title": "colB" },
        { "data": "colC", "name": "colC", "title": "colC" }
        //repeat for each of my 20 or so fields
    ],
    "serverSide": true,
    "ajax": "url/to/ajax/function"
});

Solution 2

Use forEach in fnServerParams function...

$("table").DataTable({

  "columns": [{
    "data": "colA"
  }, {
    "data": "colB"
  }, {
    "data": "colC"
  }],

  "serverSide": true,

  "ajax": "url/to/ajax/function",

  fnServerParams: function(data) {
      data['order'].forEach(function(items, index) {
          data['order'][index]['column'] = data['columns'][items.column]['data'];
    });
  },
});

Solution 3

Thanks @ahmeti I've updated your approach :)

ajax: {
        url: fetchUrl,
        data: function ( data ) {
            data['columns_map'] = {};
            data['columns'].forEach(function(item, index) {
                data['columns_map'][item.data] = data['columns'][index];
            });
            data['order'].forEach(function(item, index) {
                data['order'][index]['column'] = data['columns'][item.column]['data'];
            });
            return {"data": JSON.stringify(data)};
        }
    },

Comments

[Admin]

Is this setup required in order to use the table.ajax.reload(); Ajax reload does not seem to work with column_def

[Ali]

Thank you. you have shown the path of secret treasure

[Armitage2k]

why do you have to define data, name and title? Wouldnt name be enough?

[Gyrocode.com]

@Armitage2k, you don't have to define name and title, they were in the original question. Usually data is enough.